Living Faith Church Worldwide
Our Church Growth Creed
The Church of Christ is ordained for continuous and unending growth.
Our Church Growth Creed
We believe the Church of Christ is ordained for continuous and unending growth.
As it is written, I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18; Proverbs 4:18).
The gates of hell shall not be able to stop the church from advancing and growing until the end of time. However, by wisdom, a house is built, and by understanding it is established (Proverbs 24:3-4). Therefore, wisdom is key to sustaining the growth of the church, as indicated severally in the early church.
Divinely inspired strategies are crucial to sustaining church growth. As it is written: And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem. And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily (Acts 16:4-5).
From the above scripture, we see the amazing effect of the Church Growth Policy of the early church. It is obvious from the outcome that the decrees referred to were Church Growth Decrees. The apostles reasoned out well-defined strategies in the Holy Ghost, and the church continued to erupt in growth.
Over the years, and by the grace of God, the Living Faith Church, a.k.a Winners’ Chapel International, has been recording some amazing dimensions of growth, as driven by certain biblical concepts. It is these concepts that we have put together as our Church Growth Creed.
- that soul winning is a Divine Mandate for all believers, and it is most profitable to personally engage in it. John 15:1-2; 4:35-36
- that every member of the body of Christ has a part to play in the growth of the local church. Ephesians 4:16
- that passion for souls stirs the zeal for soul winning. Romans 9:1-3
- that a godly lifestyle is a requirement for effective soul winning. John 15:1-4
- that God is glorified when we bear much fruit and most profitably when our fruits abide. John 15:8, 16
- that God expects us to bear fruit annually, that is, making yearly returns on harvest of souls. Luke 13:6-9
- multitudes are still in the ‘Valley of Decision’ around every believer, longing for rescue. Joel 3:14
- the field is white unto harvest all around us. John 4:34-35
- that the breakthrough testimonies of the saints are a vital force for drawing multitudes into the kingdom. Zechariah 8:20-23
- in the Holy Ghost in bringing in the harvest. Matthew 9:36-38; Acts 2:1-3, 37-41; 4:4; 5:14; 6:1-7; 13:44
- that the wind from the Lord, which is the Holy Spirit, is still in the business of drafting multitudes into the kingdom today. Numbers 11:31; Acts 2:1-3
- that when the Holy Spirit hisses or sounds, great harvest results. Isaiah 5:26; Acts 2:2
- the Holy Spirit is the One who convicts sinners unto repentance. John 16:9-11; Acts 2:37
- in the ministry of the Holy Spirit through prayers for the salvation of souls. Acts 2:37-38; Psalm 2:8; Romans 8:26-27
- in engaging the Holy Ghost through prayers for utterance in soul winning. Matthew 10:19-20; Colossians 4:2-4
- that the Holy Spirit can destroy all hindrances standing against the salvation of every soul we reach out to. Isaiah 59:19; Acts 13:9-12
- in the ministry of signs and wonders in drawing multitudes to Christ. John 4:48; Acts 9:31-35
- in prayer and fasting for the harvest of souls into the kingdom. Psalm 2:8; Ezekiel 36:37
- that praying for the salvation of souls is every believer’s responsibility with attendant benefits. John 15:16; 4:35-36; Ephesians 6:8
- that going through the labour room of prayer is a requirement for birthing souls into the kingdom. Isaiah 66:7-8; Galatians 4:19
- in prayer and fasting as a vital spiritual force for boosting church growth. Matthew 16:18; 17:21
- in targeting specific individuals and families in prayers for the salvation of their souls. Acts 16:30-31
- that praying in the Holy Ghost enhances the effectiveness of our prayers for the salvation of souls. Romans 8:26-27; 1 Corinthians 14:15
- that praying for the lost commits God’s integrity to save them because it is His will that all men should be saved. Psalm 89:34; 2 Peter 3:9
- that praying for breakthroughs one for another is one of the ways to draw many to Christ. Ephesians 6:18; Zechariah 8:20-23
- that the more we pray for others, the more answers we get to our own prayers. Matthew 6:5-6; Colossians 4:12
- that making disciples of men is the most effective way to commanding healthy church growth. Matthew 28:19-20
- that when it becomes our meat to do His will and finish His works in reaching out to the lost like Christ, discipling men and women for the kingdom will become a way of life. John 4:31-34
- that every Christian must strive to be an example of believers in order to be effective in discipling men for Christ. 1 Timothy 4:12
- that teaching the principles of the Scripture is the most effective way to make disciples of men. Acts 10:41-44; 2:41-42
- no one ever lacks what he shares; we only lack what we keep. Proverbs 11:24-25; Acts 20:35
- that the more we sow and share the Word, the more we flow in revelation. 1 Peter 1:23; Galatians 6:7-8
- that every believer owes God at least ONE ‘properly-discipled’ and ‘church-established’ soul every year. However, there is no limit to how many souls one can disciple in a year because, ‘He that sows sparingly shall reap sparingly and he that sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully’, ‘Everyone shall be rewarded according to his own labour’. Luke 13:6-9; 2 Corinthians 9:6-7; 1 Corinthians 3:8
- in the ministry of Angels as reapers of the end time harvest. Matthew 13:39
- that Angels are still involved today in mobilizing men and women for salvation. Acts 10:1-6
- that we can engage the ministry of Angels for soul winning through prayers. Matthew 26:52-53
- that the body of Christ is in the era of Supernatural Church Growth. Isaiah 2:1-3; Acts 2:16-17
- that continuous outreach is a vital tool for sustainable church growth. Luke 14:17-23; John 15:16
- in compelling people, through prayers and demonstration of love, to come into the kingdom of God. Jude 23; Luke 14:23
- in strategic outreaches for effective ingathering of souls into the kingdom. Proverbs 11:30
We believe in the ‘Andrew Principle’ where every believer brings someone to church, and through the power of the Word, they get saved (John 6:37; Obadiah 1:17).
We believe that setting a Sunday apart every month as Operation Andrew Sunday will enhance the focus of members in the pursuit of this strategic soul winning outreach. In light of this, the third Sunday of every month has been set aside in all our churches worldwide as “Operation Andrew Sunday”, where every member shall be expected to prayerfully come along to church with an invitee, especially an unbeliever, a backslidden Christian or a challenged believer that requires divine intervention (John 1:35-42; Acts 6:7).
- 3rd Sunday
- of every month
- 1 invitee
- from every member
- that no local church can experience real growth without the head pastor having a vision and passion for church growth. John 2:17; 4:34
- that the passion for the souls of the shepherd will naturally impact the membership. Hosea 4:9
- that every shepherd must pray and trust God in the pursuit of all church growth endeavours. Ecclesiastes 10:10; Proverbs 21:22
- that the shepherd must provide effective leadership in driving the church growth agenda of the local church. Judges 7:17; Philippians 3:17
We believe that there is a coin in the mouth of every fish caught (Matthew 17:27). The blessings that accrue include the following, among others:
- Divine Health Proverbs 13:17; 2 Corinthians 5:20
- Divine Protection Luke 10:19
- Divine Wisdom Proverbs 11:30; Daniel 12:3
- Divine Preservation Luke 13:6-9; John 15:2
- Express answers to prayers John 15:16
- Supernatural Breakthrough Luke 5:1-7
- Supernatural Supplies John 4:36; Luke 22:35
- A Crown of Righteousness 2 Timothy 4:8
Souls won. Disciples made. A church that keeps growing.